Question

Which of the following best describes why Montaigne believes it is advantageous that “barbaric” people have no commerce, education, legal or political system, wealth, or poverty?
a. He believes this will make it easier for Europeans to colonize them
b. He believes this proves the superiority of European civilization
c. He believes it is preferable to live in innocence and simplicity
d. He believes it is in accordance with nature that such people are subjugated

Answer 1

The correct answer is C. He believes it is preferible to live in innocence and simplicity.

Montaigne was one of the Renaissance writers that used the figure of the non-European or the "noble savage" to reflect and criticise the European society from a different perspective.

In his text On Cannibals (1580), Montaigne does not describes "barbaric" people lack of commerce, education or political system in order to assert European superiority. In fact, Montaigne says that it is preferible to live in innocence and simplicity since these natives are separated from concepts of treachery, cruelty and torture. These concepts, however, are familiar to European societies despite their apparent superior education and political systems.